Cable reel truck



Aug. '3, 1 4 J. R. SHOFFNER CABLE REEL TRUCK Filed Nov. 25; 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet l In ventor Aug. 3, 1943. J. R. SHOFFNER CABLE REEL TRUCK Filed Nov. 25 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 J84 JJoff/zer Aiiorney Aug. 3, 1943. J. R. SHOFFNER CABLE REEL TRUCK Filed Nov. 25-, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 r Iffll'llllll illllfflllllll in van tor A ifomey Aug. 3, 1943. J. R. SHOFFNER CABLE REEL TRUCK Filed Nov. 25 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 A ttorncg 1943- J. R. SHOFFNER 2,325,805

CABLE REEL TRUCK Filed Nov. 25, 1940 6 SheetsSheet 5 Inventor J55? 'SXa/ fner A iiomey Aug. 3, 1943.

J. R. SHOFFNER CABLE REEL TRUCK Filed NOV. 25 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Inventor Aiiorncy I of the mounting forthe reel g I r 1 I a Figure 5 is an enlarged'sectional view'through Patented Aug. 3, 1943 a l-STAT Application November 1 Tlle present invention-relates to new and use ful improvements in Cable reel trucks designed primaril'yfor use in mining operations for transporting high power electric cables reguiiedto transmit electrical energy from a source of supply to an electrical-mine working apparatus, and has for its primary object to provide a reef on 25,194.0,SerialNoi367J50V t "aciaimsr (01191 -123): j.

which the eablemay bewound when not in" use and from which theeable may unwound to provide an extensionfo'r'the 'eleetrical Current t'othe r'nining' apparatus whendisposed in a re- -mote niihe' working, the use 'of the reei'eliminatthe'oahle around in a haphazard n'i'anner.

7 A further impOrtant-ehjectof the present invention is to provide alcabl'e reel truck ef'this characterwhich is-mount'ed on pneumatic tires "capable of transporting the near to the desired par oftheminel i the provision of a tr'ulck having a' swivellymount- The invention has-for an additional object ing the presentuaugemus practice of throwing Figure '7 is a longitudinal seetional view oi the fuse provided forzthecable; 55.x

Figureil is a fragmentary-sectional view'taken substantially-on alinet-B of Figure 2 and'show ing "a form of locking device for the cable reel;

Figure 9 isaisi'cle:elevational View of a modified form"of truckjframa'and" r l Figurei10is;a:top P19JLV1BVthEIEOfJZ Referring inowito the drawings in detailfand.

with particular reference-to the form off-the invention illustrated in Figures' 1 to .8 inelusive;;tlie

numeral 5 design'atesza substantial1y;rectangu1arshaped truck frame constructed; of channel iron I 1 and inelud-ing a pair of longitudinal frame members 6-5, a frontjframel-memberfl and-as'rear 7 frame n em'ber il'." Projecting foriwar'dlyfirom the front iramemernber l is a substantially trianed caster'w'neel at one end and'apair of wheels at its other end, the last n'amedwheeis being adjustable on theirafine of the truck in order to balance the t /eightpf'thereel on the'wheels ofthe-truck. Y

A'stillfurtherobjeet or the invention is to pm:

vide novel conductor'ineansiextending; through the hub of the reel to connet fthe circuit wires 7 to the innerend of the cable."

A still further objeotiis to provide an apparatus ,positions V 1 Projectihgforwardly from the apron '9 -is a of this character 'o fgsiin ple and practical construction, whichiis strongand durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adaptedfor the purposes for which the same is intended. 1 7 I Other'objects andjadvantag es residein the detaiisof'construction and operation as'more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference be- 'ing had to the acoompanyingdrawings .forming part hereof, wherein parts throughout, and in which-e Figure 1 is-a toplplanview, i

Figure .2 is a side. elevationallvieWwith parts shown in'section, l

Figure 3 is areal end elevatienal view,

' Figure'l. is a' sectional view; through amodifiedf iorm" of conductor for a three phase eable;-

Figurefiis aniend elevational view of the-insuIationrhead' for the double conductor shown in Fignrej; 'f 7 vi .t?

onev side a like numerals refer to like gular-shaped'apron fi'havingia'kingpin lflzjour- 7' nalled in itsitorward' end, the: kingpin projeeting upwardly from the top'portionof aiyolr'e l-ljwhi'ch extends downwardly :be'neaththe' -apron and T0- tatably supports a front wheel lzrat thelower end of saidyokeffilihejwheel ILZ' ispr'ovidedwith a pneumatic tirerl3andlthe= kingpin it: provides a V swivel mounting for; the wheel to enable the free swinging movementithereofjifrorn the full: line position 'as'i'sho inFigur.er2'to the dotted lin'e tow barflfii preferably infthe'form of an 'eye'as shown'in-FigurerLi' 'i-"" I A tow bar is likewise [s curedm 'tjhe rea'r frame memberxfi and pfojehtsrearwardly there-- from, the-rear. tow bar likewise preferably being in theTo'rni'of :an eye. 'Theilongitudihal frame members 6 are providedwith a'pluralityiof 10ngitudinally extending fslots US, the. slets being arrangedinverticallyspaced front and rear pairs,

the slots: adjustahly "receiving bolts pl l projecting inwardly from the si'de :of-aplate It; thebolts V "beingisecuredin their respectiveslotswby nuts 19 threaded thereon; Projecting from; an: opposite side of the plate" l'8 is aistub: axle having its :inner; end supported in a 1 housing. structure 2! and having a wheel hub 1-22 journalled'on' its outer e'n'dzby means'ofs roller bearing assemblies '23; .Theiwheel on 'the huoZZ isz provided with' a pneumatic tirei ll j t V A,;metal'platev25is welded or" otherwise secured to the upper edge of each of the longitudinal iframemernber's fisand bolted to each of. the plates is a conductor housingfi'e byv mearisiof legs 21. Inward]? of thehous'ingi 26 is a bearing, assembly housing 2 8- also bolted-tethe plate bfbolts 29,

the housing 28' having a', roller bearing assembly 30 therein and within which is journalled the the tubular hand grip 34, the hand :tively carried. s V

The wire 5215 connected to a conductor'disl:

conductor housing 26 and each is provided with an insulation plate or header 38 through which the circuit wire 36 also extends, the outer end by screws 14, while the circuit wire 15 extends through the flange of the outer sleeve and is connected to the conductor ring 16 which is secured to the flange 10 by screws 11, the wires 12 and 15 leading to the power line.

' A coil spring 18 urges the ring 16 in engagement with the ring BI, and a coil spring 19 urges the disk l3 in engagement with the disk 59. The disk 59 as well as the ring 6| are provided with annular flangesBll and 8| respectively, to prevent lateral movement of the conductors.

The heads of the screws 60, B2, 14 and 11 are countersunk to provide recesses which are packed The" outer ends of the trunnions 3] projectintothelfi with graphite 82 for lubricating the contacting. "surfaces of the conductors.

Interposed in one of the circuit wires, before entering the hub of the reel, is a fuse 83 of conventional construction, the fuse being mounted of the wire being suitably secured to the central a, .7

portion of a brass or similar conductor disk 39. The outer surface of the conductor disk 39 is formed with an annular flange. within which is fitted a similar conductor di'skl4l positioned at one end'of an insulation collar 42,which has one end. slidably mounted inyan openin'gy l3 formed in the outer wall of the housing 25.

'Extendingthrough the insulation, collar 42 is a circuit wire.44 connected-to'the conductoridisk '41, the disks 139 and 4| thus forming an electrical connection between the wires 44' and-36; r The collar' 42is formed with a flange 4i5-which is-engaged by a coil spring 46 to. yieldably urge .the conductordisks 39 and 4I:into contacting 'engagementfthe circuit thus being maintained while the :reel 32 is rotated. r

The circuit wires '44. projecting outwardly from theconductor housing 26 at each side of the reel extend toward therear of the frameland are anchored thereto by clamping devices 41. The two circuit wires 44 are'connected by'a common form of coupling, with-acable 49 leadingto a suitable source of current; i r

In certain types of mining machinery three or more circuit wires are necessary leading from the power line and in suchiinstanoes a connector for one or both .ends of the reel is provided embodying the construction] shown'in vFigure 5.

The end of the reel is provided with a'trunnio'n 56 having a bore 5| within-which a pair of circuit wires 52 and 53; arejcarried, the'trunnion having its end. provided with a 'counterbore 54 of square shape in cross-section and within which is .conformably receivednthe extension 55 of.a conical insulation head 56. The head is provided with 'a central bore 5! and can 'ofiset bore 58 52 and 53 are respec-v.

through which the wires 59 secured to the base of the head by screws 60 and the wire 53 is connected to a conductor'ring 61 also secured to the base of the head by screws .62; the ring being spaced 'from the disk by an annular; outwardly projecting wall 63.

I The conductors and. insulation head are. mounted in a cylindrical housing having an endlplate 65 freely mounted in. one end; and secured to the'hub 55 by screws 66. Theother end of the housing is provided with'a fixed end fjwall 51' having acentral opening for receiving the outer insulationsleeve 68 and theinner coaxial insulation, sleeve69, each having flanges in and H respectively'positioned inthe housing. The inner, sleeve 69 has thecircuit wire 12 in,-

serted therethrough for connection with the conductor disk :13 which issecured to theiiange 'H in a casing 84, one end of the fuse being provided with a tapering stem frictionally re? 'ceived in a split socket 86 attached at the end of the circuit wire, the stem and socket being enclosed in an insulation sleeve 81. JAt the opposite end of the fuse is a split stem 88 frictionally fitted in a socket 89 attached to the circuit wire andvenclosed also in an insulation sleeve 9!]. I

In, the form of the invention illustrated vin rFigures 9. and 10 the truck frame is shown at 9!,to" which the towing eye 92' is, directly attached, inthis form of truck construction; the front wheel being omitted, and the front end of the truck rests on; a downwardly extending rod 93 having its lower end inclined forwardly to bite into a railway tie or ground to anchor. the

Each form of the truck is also provided with a 'reel locking device illustrated in detail in-Figure 8 and which comprises a screw 94 threaded through a side of the frame and provided with a pointed end-for biting into the flange 33 of the ,reel to securelthe reel against-movement; A

-one end of the housing,

.handle 55 is formed on the outer end of the screw for manipulating the same. 7 It is believed the details of construction, ad-

vantages and manner of use of the device will be readily understood from the ioregoing without further detailed explanation. I g

What I claim isr r "l. A cable reel truck comprising-aframe/a conductor housing carried at. a side of the frame, 7

a reel having a tubulartrunnion'projecting from one end and rotatably supported in said housing, a plurality of, .co-axial insulation sleeves having tubular extensions slidably mounted in fone'end of the housing, conductors carried at. the

inner ends of the sleeves each having an electric cable connected thereto, an insulationmember secured to the trunnion for rotation therewith,

a plurality of conductorscarried byrthe memher and also having electricrcables connected thereto and leading through the trunnion for' winding on the reel and spring means mounted on the respective tubular extensions and. engaging the sleeves for. yieldably urging the conductors into engagement.

2. A cable reel truck comprising a frame, a conductor housing'carried ata side'of-the frame, a reel having a tubular trunnion projecting from oneend and rotatably supported-in said hous ing, a plurality of co-axial insulation 5 sleeves having tubular extensions slidably mounted in conductors carried at the inner ends of the sleeves each'having an'electric cable connected thereto, an insulation meniher secured to the trunnion for rotation'therewith, a plurality of conductors carried by the member and also having electric cables connected thereto and leading through the trunnlonfor winding on the reel, spring means mounted onthe respective tubular elements engaging the sleeves for yieldably urging the stationaryconductors in wiping engagement with the rotatable conductors, the opposed facesof the conductors having recesses therein and a lubricant packed in said recesses.

3. In combination in a cable reel structure, a 1

reel, a supporting frame therefor,-a hollow supv porting trunnion secured to said ree1,' a bear-.

ing for said trunnion carried by said frame, an

insulating head secured to said trunnion and forming a extension thereof beyond. said bear-' ing and at'the end remote from saidreel,jtwo conductor disks located in concentric relationship and secured to the end face of said head, a cable 7 carried by said reel, two electrical conductors ex- I tending through the hollow interior of said'trun- -nion and through'said head, both being connected to said cable and one being connected to one of said conductor disks and the other being 7 7 connected to the other of said conductor disks,

a housing mounted on said iframe', surrounding said head and provided with an opening aligned withsaid trunnion," concentric insulating sleeves, located in said opening and extending into said housing, a conductor disk secured to each sleeve 7 ,and located concentrically with relation to .each

other and separate means. for actuating each sleeve to force the conductor disk carried thereby intoyielding contact with the correspondingly located conductor disk secured to said head; 

